Anthurium plant named ‘Red King’

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of Anthurium plant named ‘Red King’, characterized by its upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit; durable dark green leaves; red-colored spathes with pale yellow-colored spadices that are positioned above and beyond the foliage on strong and erect spapes; freely flowering habit; and good inflorescence longevity.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Botanical classification: Anthurium andreanum.

Variety denomination: ‘Red King’.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Anthurium plant, botanically known as Anthurium andreanum, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Red King’.

The new Anthurium is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Schipluiden, The Netherlands. The objective of the program is to create and develop new freely clumping and freely flowering Anthurium cultivars with strong roots, dark green leaves, attractive spathe color, and good inflorescence longevity.

The new Anthurium originated from a cross by the Inventor on or about Nov. 11, 1997 of the Inventor's proprietary Anthurium andreanum selection code number 96-003 as the female, or seed, parent with the Inventor's proprietary Anthurium andreanum selection code number 90-090 as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar Red King was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in Schipluiden, The Netherlands in 2000.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar by meristem culture in a laboratory in Belgium has shown that the unique features of this new Anthurium plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new Anthurium has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of the cultivar Red King. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Red King’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit.

2. Durable dark green leaves.

3. Red-colored spathes with pale yellow-colored spadices that are positioned above and beyond the foliage on strong and erect scapes.

4. Freely flowering habit.

5. Good inflorescence longevity.

Plants of the new Anthurium can be compared to plants of the female parent, the selection 96-003. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Schipluiden, The Netherlands, plants of the new Anthurium differed from plants of the selection 96-003 in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Anthurium had larger leaves than plants of the selection 96-003.

2. Plants of the new Anthurium had larger spathes than plants of the selction 96-003.

3. Spathe color of plants of the new Anthuriums was red whereas spathe color of plants of the selection 96-003 was pink.

Plants of the new Anthurium can be compared to plants of the male parent, the selection 90-090. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Schipluiden, The Netherlands, plants of the new Anthurium differed from plants of the selection 90-090 in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Anthurium had more durable leaves than plants of the selection 90-090.

2. Plants of the new Anthurium had more durable spathes than plants of the selection 90-090.

Plants of the new Anthurium can also be compared to plants of the cultivar Red Queen, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,813. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Schipluiden, The Netherlands, plants of the new Anthurium differed from plants of the cultivar Red Queen in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Anthurium had more durable leaves than plants of the cultivar Red Queen.

2. Plants of the new Anthurium had thicker and flatter spathes than plants of the cultivar Red Queen.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Anthurium, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Anthurium.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of the cultivar Red King that was about one year old.

The photograph at the top of the second sheet comprises a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘Red King’.

The photograph at the bottom of the second sheet comprises a close-up view of the upper surface of a typical mature leaf of ‘Red King’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observations and measurements describe one-year old plants grown in 17-cm containers in Schipluiden, The Netherlands, in a glass greenhouse with an average day temperature of 25° C. and an average night temperature of 19° C.

Botanical classification: Anthurium andreanum cultivar Red King.

Parentage:

Female parent.—Inventor's proprietary Anthurium andreanum selection code number 96-003, not patented.

Male parent.—Inventor's proprietary Anthurium andreanum selection code number 90-090, not patented.

Propagation:

Method.—By meristem culture.

Time to develop roots on a meristem-cultured plant.—Summer: About 70 days at 24° C. Winter: About 84 days at 21° C.

Root description.—Strong fleshy roots.

Plant description:

Plant shape.—Upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit, inverted triangle, symmetrical.

Growth habit.—Moderately clumping. Appropriate for 17 to 35-cm containers. Vigorous.

Plant height.—About 75 to 90 cm.

Plant diameter and spread.—About 65 cm.

Crop time.—About 10 months are usually required from planting of young plants to finished plants in a 17-cm container.

Foliage description.—Quantity per plant: About 30. Length: About 20 to 35 cm. Width: About 12 to 20 cm. Shape: Cordate. Apex: Apiculate. Base: Auriculate; lobes not overlapping. Margin: Entire. Texture: Leather; glabrous. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color: Young leaves, upper surface: 137A. Young leaves, lower surface: 144A. Mature leaves, upper surface: Darker than 147A. Mature leaves, lower surface: Between 144A and 146A. Venation, upper and lower surfaces: 144A. Petiole: Length: About 20 to 38 cm. Color: 144A. Geniculum length: About 2 to 3 cm. Geniculum color: 144A.

Inflorescence description:

Inflorescence arrangement.—Spathes with spadices held above and beyond the foliage. Flowering structures arise from leaf axils. Freely and continuous flowering year-round; typically more than 12 inflorescences per plant at one time.

Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences last about six weeks under winter conditions and about three months under summer conditions; persistent.

Spathe.—Length: About 14 to 18 cm. Width: About 11 to 15 cm. Shape: Cordate. Apex: Aristate. Base: Auriculate, lobes not overlapping. Margin: Entire. Texture: Leathery; glabrous; moderate blistering. Color: When opening, front and back surfaces: 46A; towards the base, 183A; glossy. Fully developed, front surface: Between 45A and 46A; glossy. Fully opened, back surface: 53B; glossy.

Spadix.—Length: About 7 to 9 cm. Diameter: About 1.2 cm. Shape: Columnar. Cross section: Rounded. Longitudinal axis: Erect. Color: Immature: 143A. Mature: 11D.

Flowers.—Quantity per spadix: Numerous, about 400. Shape: Rounded. Diameter: About 1 mm, maximum.

Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Pollen color: Close to 158B. Gynoecium: Stigma shape: Ovoid.

Scape.—Length: About 40 to 60 cm. Aspect: Strong and erect. Color: 144A.

Seed/fruit.—Seed/fruit development on plants of the new Anthurium has not been observed to date.

Disease/pest resistance: Under commercial conditions, plants of the new Anthurium have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens or pests common to Anthurium. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Anthurium plant named ‘Red King’, as illustrated and described. 